Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

On the basis that the Minister of State is offering me the courtesy of listening to what I have to say, I repeat that I hope the Minister will allay my fears, as one who represents a rural constituency, that this poorly-timed and ill-advised move will not take effect. I represent a constituency with low participation rates in third level education. It is a rural constituency with many farmers and farm families. Should these reports be true and if the Government is considering such proposal it will ensure that many low-income families throughout Laois-Offaly will in effect be disbarred from entering third level education.

The grant system that has been in place for many years is very important to a rural constituency such as Laois-Offaly. I have no difficulty with the income of parents being taken into account but not the farmland. In many respects, the capital asset - the agricultural land - is only material when the land is being sold. The Minister of State is aware that we do not have a high level of land transfer, and when the land is not being sold the capital asset that is a family farm is never taken into consideration. It is a volatile asset in any event and particularly in recessionary times when there is little market for such land.

If the self-employed assessment is to change, will the shop and residence of a shopkeeper be taken into account? I say "No". In the case of a business operating out of an office, will the value of the office be taken into consideration? I do not believe this to be fair or just in any circumstance. Similarly, all farm land, farm buildings and farmhouses should not be taken into consideration in the assessment of students for a grant entitlement.

There is a perception of discrimination against rural Ireland and the Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock, has an opportunity in his reply this evening to kill off that perception and to confirm that the current review group which will report shortly, and the Government, will not take into consideration farm land, the asset of the farm buildings and the farmhouse in the assessment for educational grant purposes.

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